Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Twilight's Requiem
by Pika53
Summary: When a boy named Evan wakes up as a Charmander, he learns that he has been summoned for a very special purpose. But what happens when he discovers this purpose has an impact on the fate of three worlds. Please read and review.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer - I do not own Pokemon.**

**Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Twilight's Requiem:**

**by Pika 53**

**Prologue:**

Lost and afraid, the little Eevee desperately continued her journey. As she struggled through the thick foliage, the young Eevee wondered how she had arrived in such a strange place or where her brother and trainer were. Pausing to catch her breath, the young Eevee contemplated her next move.

Her musing was interrupted however, by the sound of harsh, feral shrieks from somewhere nearby. The sounds were terrifying and prompted the little pokemon to begin her mad dash once more. Unwilling to find out what had made the horrible shrieks; Eevee continued her trek knowing that she was being stalked by whatever the creatures were. She only hoped that she would find her friends soon.

As he sat in the auditorium, Evan Lockhart enjoyed the opportunity to hang out with friends and relax during the annual End-of-Year Bash. Although the faculty officially denied its existence, the End-of-Year Bash had become something of a tradition at Kadic Academy and was usually held the week after mid-terms were over. Kadic Academy was a privately owned high school that rivaled many of the local collages in the surrounding area outside Seattle, Washington.

All around him, students enjoyed themselves in a host of activities, which included dancing, chatting, or playing cards. Evan however, was content to watch the proceedings and play video games on his Game Boy. He was 18 years old, had brown hair, blue eyes, and a slim, muscular build.

Glancing at his watch, Evan swore softly after discovering that he'd stayed so late. Remembering that he still had an assignment to turn in, Evan quickly made his way through the crowd and was about to begin the trek back to his dorm room when a familiar female voice called out to him. Turning, he saw his cousin Diana watching him.

"Hey, where are you headed?"

"Back to my room. Mr. Langsam gave me an extension

and I really don't want to disappoint him." Evan replied.

"I see. You still working on that research project for him?"

"Of course."

"Good luck." Diana replied with a grin.

"Thanks. Keep an eye on J.D. for me, alright?"

"Don't worry; I'll make sure that slacker behaves himself."

"Great! Well, see you later." Evan replied with a smile.

With a chuckle and a two-fingered salute, Diana turned and disappeared into the crowd. Evan meanwhile, began to make his way out of the room. After exiting the auditorium, Evan quickly made his way toward a nearby dormitory. As he reached the building, Evan stopped and reflected on the unexpected twists that had occurred in his life. His best friend J.D. for example, not only shared a dorm room with him but was also his cousin's stepbrother. The pair were also anime fans and often compared notes when it came to their favorite shows in addition to their favorite monster movies.

Although J.D. was a more dedicated anime fan, Evan had learned martial arts just to be more like his favorite anime characters. Out of the three of them, Evan could probably be considered the normal one. He made average grades while his cousin Diana was a compulsive straight 'A' student. J.D. meanwhile, had low grades but somehow managed to pull through in the end. After letting the memories pass, Evan entered the building and headed for his room.

Later that night, Evan had a strange dream. In the dream, he felt as though he were floating in a dark,  
empty void. After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, a female voice called out startling him. 

"Evan Lockhart..." the female voice said in a deep throaty purr.

"Are you interested in taking part in the adventure of a lifetime?"

"Who's there?" Evan heard himself ask.

"Who I am is not important at this time." the voice retorted.

"Are you interested in my offer, Mr. Lockhart?"

"I guess so."

"Good. Then let the interview begin." the voice said.

The voice promptly began to ask him a series of seemingly trivial questions. Evan did his best to answer all  
the questions that were asked. After a time the voice went silent, leaving Evan to wonder what was going on.

"Very interesting Mr. Lockhart. I'm certain that great things are in store for you.

However, I do have one last question for you." the voice said after a pause.

"What is it?" Evan asked.

"If the world were in danger, would you be willing to sacrifice yourself for the safety of others if nessicery?" 

"I'm not sure I follow." Evan answered.

"If given a choice, would you be willing to give up all that you know and hold dear of your world in order to save it?" 

"I guess so."

"Even if it means that you can't return to the world as you know it?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"I see." the voice said thoughtfully.

"In that case, let's move on to the second phase of your interview."

The void suddenly transformed into a stadium of some sort before Evan's eyes. As fascinating as the sudden shift in surroundings was, Evan's attention quickly focused on the only other being in the area. Standing across from him, the figure appeared to be roughly humanoid but all distinguishing features such as the face were obscured by a thick black fog. For reasons he couldn't comprehend Evan felt compelled to attack this strange being.

"The second phase of your interview shall consist of combat training." the voice spoke up.

"Let's start with unarmed combat." the voice added.

"You must defeat your opponent as quickly as possible."

Nodding to himself, Evan felt his body slip into the Tai Kwon Do fighting stance. The apparition also stepped into a fighting stance of its own. A short pause developed between them before the apparition hurled itself at Evan and threw a left hook followed by a series of punches and kicks. Evan however, stepped aside to avoid many of the attacks and blocked the other blows with ease.

Evan countered by kicking his assailant in the chest followed by a jab that caused the apparition to stumble backward briefly. The apparition rushed at Evan once again and performing a powerful drop kick. Evan however, easily side-stepped the attack. Just as the apparition threw another punch, Evan caught it in a vice-like grip. He followed up with a swift kick to the opponent's chest, backhanded it across the face, and hurled it to the ground with a flip.

The apparition's prone body suddenly melted into the ground as the mystery voice spoke up.

"Well done, Mr. Lockhart. Now, let's try armed combat."

A cylinder-shaped device suddenly appeared in Evan's hand. Triggering its activation stud,a meter long, sapphire colored blade sprang to life with a faint click. The blade he noticed resembled a Japanese Katana but was made of a hard crystal-like substance. At roughly the same instant, the apparition suddenly appeared wielding a similar weapon. 

Unsure of what to do, Evan braced himself for the worst as a short pause developed between them. The apparition suddenly rushed at Evan once more and slashed at his head. With reflexes faster than he anticipated, Evan blocked a stream of parries, and thrusts. He countered with a quick series of slashes and chops of his own.

With a flick of the wrist, Evan worked his way under the apparition's guard. He followed up by pivoting to the right and slashing at his opponent's mid section. The resulting blow sliced cleanly through the apparition's chest causing it to stagger forward several steps before collapsing in a heap on the ground. After a pause the apparition's prone body suddenly melted into the ground as it had before.

As he looked on, Evan tried to make sense of what had just happened. The entire fight had lasted mere minutes but felt as though it had been much longer. He was also surprised by his own swordsmanship skills. As suddenly as the stadium had appeared, it vanished into the void once more as the mystery voice spoke up. 

"Impressive!"

"You are indeed ready." the voice added after a pause.

"So, what happens now?" Evan asked.

"You are about to embark on an epic journey to protect the known universe from a threat that will destroy all if it were to manifest itself." the voice replied. 

"What can I possibly do?" Evan asked.

"Soon, you will undergo some minor changes. However, don't be

alarmed as they are in preparation for you quest." the voice said.

"In the meantime, I suggest that you get some rest so that you will be ready to take part in the journey that lies ahead." 

At that moment, Evan's vision began to fade to black.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter #1:**

The sound of voices slowly filtered into Evan's consciousness and began to  
draw him back from the void as something gently shook him on the shoulder. 

"Hey, wake up!" a female voice spoke up in a perky, high-pitched swoon.

Evan groaned softly to himself and was rewarded by another gentle nudge.

"C'mon! You've gotta wake up!" the voice said again.

As he slowly opened his eyes, everything appeared as a blur. Once his eyes had adjusted,

Evan noticed that two individuals were standing over him. Neither of them however, were what he  
expected.On his left stood a Meowth and on his right was a Chikorita. Both smiled cheerfully at him. 

As he gazed back, Evan also noticed that unlike most members of it's  
species, the Meowth was standing on two legs rather then all four.

"It's nice to see your finally awake." Meowth commented in a soft feminine voice.

With a start, Evan sat up and grabbed his head.

"_I can understand a pokemon? Am I dreaming?_" he thought to himself.

"Where am I?"

"You're in a meadow near the Tiny Forest." Meowth answered.

"_A meadow? How did I get here?_" Evan thought.

"We were passing through the area and saw you lying here, so we thought we'd investigate." she continued.

"I haven't seen you around before. What's your name?" Chikorita asked.

"Oh... uh... I'm Evan."

"Evan huh? That's funny. I've never met a pokemon with such a weird name before." Chikorita giggled.

"Wait, I'm not a pokemon! I'm a human!" Evan retorted.

"You look like an ordinary Charmander to me." Meowth remarked.

Evan looked at her confused before giving himself a once over. The results of his examination  
surprised him as he now indeed resembled a Charmander with a utility belt strapped to his waist. 

"What the?! How did I?!" he gasped.

"Your a rather weird Charmander but also kind of funny." Chikorita remarked.

"Oh... well, thank you." Evan responded as he stood up.

"Anyway, my name is Rukia and my exuberant companion is Yuri." Meowth explained.

"Nice to meet you both." Evan replied.

"How did you end up in this meadow in the first place?" Yuri asked.

"I'm not really sure."

Rukia and Yuri exchange glances.

"Uh, we could use another member for our rescue team and was wondering if you would be interested in joining us." Rukia spoke up after a pause. 

"Sure. What is a rescue team anyway?" Evan responded.

"You don't know?" Yuri asked. "Have you been living under a Golem?"

"Well, if you must know the last thing I remember is returning to my dorm room, and having a strange dream involving a bunch of questions." Evan retorted. 

"The next thing I know I was awakened by the two of you." he continued.

"Anyway, it's a team of pokemon that go around helping other Pokemon in all sorts of danger! It's so cool!" Yuri stated as her eyes began to sparkle. 

"Hey, what's that?" Rukia asked as she spotted something lying near Evan's feet.

Following her gaze, Evan spotted a cylinder-shaped device that vaguely reminded him of a flashlight Picking up the object, he quickly realized that the cylinder-shaped device resembled a weapon he'd seen in a movie rather than a flashlight as he'd previously thought. 

"This can't be what I think it is." Evan murmured in disbelief.

"What do you think it is?" Yuri asked curiously.

Evan didn't reply however, as he became completely focused on the cylinder-shaped device in his hand. Triggering its activation stud, a meter long, sapphire colored blade sprang to life with a faint click. The blade he noticed resembled a Japanese katana but was made of a hard crystal-like substance. Evan began to experiment with it by twirling the blade in a slow exaggerated manner. As he did so, Evan noticed that the movements seemed instinctive to him.

"Incredible!" Evan murmured as he deactivated the device.

"Why don't you keep it." Rukia said. "It could come in handy."

With a nod, Evan clipped the device onto his belt. A nearby commotion grabbed the trio's attention. Turning, they saw  
a pair of pokemon rushing toward them. As he watched, Evan recognized the pair as a Beautifly and a Butterfree. 

"What seems to be the problem?" Rukia asked.

"Our babies fell down a huge hole in the Tiny Forest! We went in after them, but were attacked!" The Beautifly said.

"Oh, Wumrple and Caterpie are in danger!" Butterfree added worriedly.

"Don't worry! We'll take care of it! Right Evan?" Yuri spoke up as she cast a glance at Evan.

"Let's do it!" Evan replied.

The trio quickly set off in the indicated direction.

As they traveled through the Tiny Forest, Evan was awestruck by all the sights he was witnessing All around him, Evan saw various groups of pokemon milling around among the trees. These pokemon occasionally stopped what they were doing and stared at them. 

"Hey, Evan..." Rukia spoke up.

"Yes?"

"You said that you were once human. What's it like?" Rukia asked.

"Well, back home there aren't any pokemon. I only know of such things from TV and video games I've played." Evan replied. 

"That's weird." Yuri commented.

"Then again, there has been a lot of human technology recently appearing along with all the natural disasters." she continued. 

"Really?" Evan spoke up intrigued.

"I once had a trainer." Rukia spoke up.

"Oh, what happened to 'em?" Yuri asked.

"I'm not sure." Rukia replied.

"However, let's just say that's a part of the past that I don't want to talk about." she added quickly.

"Hey, no problem. Don't want to pry into your personal business." Evan responded.

"By the way, what is our team name?" he asked.

"Oh... our team name is Go-Getters!" Yuri proclaimed proudly.

Evan snorted in amusement and noticed Rukia struggle to keep a straight face.

"What?" Yuri asked.

"Go-Getters huh? That's a rather interesting choice." Evan commented amused.

"Hey, don't make fun of our name! I worked hard coming up with it!" Yuri protested.

"I'm not making fun of the name. I think it's rather cute actually." Evan replied chuckling.

"We recently started so our team isn't well known yet." Rukia spoke up.

"I still don't see a reason why you're making fun of the name." Yuri grumbled.

"Aww, does somebody need a hug?" Evan teased prompting Rukia to snicker.

Yuri rolled her eyes and groaned before facing forward once more.

"Hey, look..." she said as she pointed at something up ahead.

Following her gaze, Evan spotted a large hole in the ground a short distance away.

"...that must be the hole Beautifly was talking about." Yuri continued.

"So, who wants to be first down the hole?" Evan asked as the trio reached it.

"Oh, you're horrible!" Rukia said with a chuckle.

"After you." Evan replied with a grin as he waved a hand toward the hole.

After stumbling through a maze of tunnels, the trio finally reached a large, chamber. The chamber was roughly oval shaped and was lit be streams of bright sun light from an opening where the roof should have been. At the far end of the chamber, the trio spotted Caterpie and Wurmple huddled together, crying.

"There they are!" Yuri exclaimed.

The trio quickly jogged over to them

"Don't worry little ones! We're here to rescue you!" Rukia spoke up soothingly.

The two little worms turned and looked up at them.

"OUR HEROES!" the little worms cheered as they tackled her.

"C'mon, let's get outta here." Evan said.

"We can't!" the little worms replied as they began to cry once more.

"What's wrong?" Yuri asked.

"It's because of Skarmory!" the little worms responded in unison.

"We were gonna leave..." Caterpie started, "...but that mean birdie grabbed us and brought us here!"

"He wants to gobble us up for dinner!" Wurmple wailed.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of everything." Evan said.

"Is that so?" an unfamiliar voice spoke up.

Glancing up, the group spotted Skarmory glaring down at them from the rim of the cavern.

"I see you're trying to steal my dinner! Get your own!" Skarmory demanded.

"We're not here to steal anything." Evan replied.

"Just let Caterpie and Wurmple go. We don't want any trouble." he continued.

"Not likely!" Skarmory snapped. "If you want trouble you've got it!"

"So much for being reasonable." Yuri grumbled.

Skarmory suddenly dived down at them. As Skarmory passed by, Evan somersaulted backward while the girls ducked outof the way. Rising back in the air, Skarmory circled once before landing on an outcrop of rocks at another end of the cavern. Skarmory then let out  
a sharp, piercing cry and nine Mankey appeared at the rim of the cavern. The Mankey then leaped down into the chamber and took up flanking positions around Skarmory. 

"Uh oh, looks like Skarmory brought friends." Rukia murmured.

"Yuri, would you look after Caterpie and Wurmple?" Evan asked.

"Sure."

As Yuri made her way over to the little worms, Evan felt the adrenaline start to flow as he turned toward Rukia. 

"Are you ready for this?" he asked as he slipped into a Tai Kwon Do fighting stance.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Rukia replied as she assumed a Kenpo fighting stance.

"GET THEM!" Skarmory screamed.

As one, the group of Mankey rushed at them. With reflexes faster than he anticipated, Evan countered his first opponent by grabbing the creature's outstretched arm and twisting it. He followed up by quickly elbowing the assailant in the face before hurling the stunned pokemon over his shoulder and onto the ground.

As another Mankey threw a punch at him, Evan sidestepped the blow and quickly kicked it across the chest before delivering a forceful shove that hurled the creature to the ground.Spotting an opportunity, Rukia struck a nearby adversary with a powerful spinning kick thatsent it sprawling to the ground as another charged at her. Yuri meanwhile, used a combination of _Razor Leaf _and _Vine Whip_ to keep the Mankey at bay. 

As the fight continued, time slowed down for Evan as yet another opponent lunged at him. Evan blocked every strike his opponent made with ease than countered with a surprise kick and chop to the back of the head that stunned the Mankey long enough for him to hurl it in Yuri's direction. Yuri dispatched the assailant by rapping it up in her vines and hurling it into a nearby wall.

Rukia meanwhile, sidestepped a left hook, blocked a low kick, and parried a punch from another assailant before retaliating with a swift kick to the knee followed by a jab to the stomach. She followed up with _Furry Swipes_, dropping it instantly. She then hurled a series of punches and kicks at another enemy. Just as she threw another punch, the pokemon caught it in a vice-like grip. The Mankey backhanded her across the face, and flipped her to the ground. Undeterred, Rukia quickly got to her feet just as Evan struck it with an _Ember Attack_, causing it to stumble backward.

She than nimbly somersaulted away to a new location as another adversary charged at her. Rukia quickly finished this opponent off with _Furry Swipes_. As the Mankey dropped, Evan hurled the remaining assailant in Rukia's direction, stepping into a Tai Kwon Do fighting stance as he did so. Rukia easily finished the final opponent off with a powerful spinning kick that sent the pokemon to the ground with a flip. As her foot touched the ground, Rukia stepped into a Kenpo fighting stance. The entire fight had lasted mere minutes, but felt as though it had been longer.

Caterpie and Wurmple squealed in delight as Skarmory stammered in disbelief.

"That went well." Yuri commented as the trio began to relax.

"If you want something done right, do it yourself." Skarmory mumbled to itself.

"Alright, Skarmory. Let's do the right thing and let Caterpie and Wurmple go." Rukia said.

"You've got to be kidding!" Skarmory retorted. "I'll tear you to pieces!"

"Looks like this is where the fun begins." Evan quipped as Skarmory took to the air once more.

As it flew, Skarmory unleashed a furious _Swift Attack_ assault against the group. Evan, Rukia, and Yuri held their own against the barrage  
as best as they could. Skarmory meanwhile, dived down at them again. The girls ducked out of the way and Evan somersaulted backward once more as Skarmory attempted to hit them with a _Steel Wing_ attack and missed. 

After landing and turning around, Skarmory nailed Rukia with a _Sand Attack_. It followed up with an _Air Cutter_ attack that knocked her to the ground. Yuri retaliated with _Razor Leaf_ and Evan followed up with another _Ember Attack_, causing Skarmory to stumble backward as Rukia got to her feet.

Evan hurled himself at Skarmory and attempted to connect with a drop kick. Skarmory however, sidestepped and retaliated with a  
_Fury Attack_ barrage. Evan blocked every strike Skarmory made with ease than countered with a spinning kick followed by a foot sweep. Skarmory dodged both attacks and took to the air. It then struck him with a powerful _Steel Wing_ attack, knocking him to the ground. 

"Mr. Charmander, are you alright?" Caterpie asked.

"Heh, you've got to do... better than that, Skarmory!" Evan answered as he got to his feet.

After Skarmory landed once again, Yuri responded with another _Razor Leaf_ barrage followed by a _Tackle Attack_. Skarmory however, dodged the _Razor Leaf_ barrage and countered with a surprise head butt followed by a _Peck Attack _that hurled her into a nearby wall. Rukia retaliated with _Furry Swipes_ but Skarmory dodged the blow and countered with a surprise kick, causing her to stumble backward  
as Evan rushed in again. 

"You're really beginning to push my nerve kid!" Skarmory snapped.

"Yeah, well I'm just full of surprises." Evan retorted.

With a growl, Skarmory took to the air and unleashed a stream of _Air Cutter_ attacks. Evan dodged all of them and readied himself for another _Ember Attack_. Skarmory meanwhile, attempted another _Steel Wing_ attack but was repulsed by a powerful burst of flame from Evan.

"_Hey, I'm using Flame Thrower!_" Evan thought to himself.

As Skarmory reeled from the effects of the blast, Evan made a dash for a nearby wall. Skarmor quickly recovered and rushed after him. Just as Skarmory reached him, Evan used the wall as a spring board to deliver a powerful _Metal Claw Attack_ that knocked Skarmory  
out of the air. As his feet touched the ground, Evan stepped into a Tai Kwon Do fighting stance once again. 

"Ok, I know when I'm defeated!" Skarmory gasped as it slowly got up.

"I'm getting outta here!" it continued before flying off in a hurry.

"Alright, let's get out of this place." Evan said.

The two little worms smiled and the group left the dungeon.

"Oh, thank you! THANK YOU!" Beautifly and Butterfree cried out as they hugged their babies.

"It's really not a problem." Evan replied.

"We're always happy to help." Yuri cut in.

"Here's a gift from us! You guys deserve it!"

Butterfree dropped an Oran Berry, Cheri Berry, and Pecha Berry into Evan's hands.

"Thank you once more!" Butterfree said again as she grabbed her Caterpie and flew off.

"Here, take this too!" Beautifly said as she dropped another berry into his hands, grabbed Wurmple, and flew off. 

"Oh, which berry did she give you?" Yuri asked.

Evan looked the berry over then shook his head and shrugged.  
He then held the berry up so the girls could get a clear look at it. 

"Strange, I've never seen that type of berry before." Yuri commented.

The berry resembled a strawberry and was completely black. It also had two gray leaves on the stem.

"In that case, let's hold on to it for now." Rukia spoke up.

Evan and Yuri nodded in agreement.

"By the way, where did you learn how to fight like that? You were great!" Evan said after a pause.

"Thanks. My trainer taught me everything I know." Rukia replied.

Evan nodded in response.

"You were pretty good yourself. I think you might have even gone up several levels." she went on.

"Anyway, let's get back to our team base!" Yuri spoke up before running off.

"Wait, we have a base?" Evan asked. "Hey, Yuri where are you going?"

"Told you she was exuberant." Rukia said with a chuckled before running off as well.

"Don't you mean hyper-active?" Evan retorted.

"Wait, Rukia come back! I don't know my way around!" he shouted as he ran after her.

From behind a bush a short distance away, Eevee watched the team in awe.

"Maybe they can help me." she mused.

After a moment of hesitation, Eevee followed them.

At the same time, a pair of pokemon stood watching the team from a nearby embankment One of them was a Sneasel, who was leaning against the trunk of a tree with its arms folded across it's chest. The other pokemon was roughly humanoid but didn't have a definitive shape. 

The mysterious pokemon chuckled as a battered and weary Skarmory joined them.

"So, the young Charmander is strong. Is he not?" the mysterious pokemon said.

"Yeah, he was much stronger then I thought." Skarmory replied.

"Good." the mysterious pokemon crowed with delight.

"Now that the human has appeared, the game is going to become much more interesting." it continued.

"Wait, he's a human?" Skarmory stammered. "How do you know?"

"That is of little concern to you." the mysterious pokemon retorted.

"Fine. Now when do I get paid?" Skarmory replied.

"Ah, yes you're fee." the mysterious pokemon said as it raised a finger.

In response, Sneasel straitened up and fetched two small pouches lying  
near it's feet. It than walked over and handed both bags to Skarmory. 

"It's all there." Sneasel said.

"Oh, and Skarmory... don't stray too far. I may be in need of your assistance again." the mysterious pokemon spoke up.

With a nod, Skarmory took both bags and flew away.

"So, what now?" Sneasel asked as it approached the other.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want us to take care of them?" Sneasel responded.

"No. Let them go. When the time is right, I will deal with the boy myself." the mysterious pokemon replied.

"As you wish." Sneasel said. "What about the Reapers?"

"Vincent and his pathetic band will not stop us." the mysterious pokemon responded with a smile.

"Everything is going according to plan. In the meantime, continue you search for the vital component I need to be reborn." the mysterious pokemon said after a pause. 

"With each passing moment, my reunion draws near."

"I'm on it!" Sneasel answered before turning and walking away.

With a chuckle, the mysterious pokemon disappeared. Where it had stood, a small plant appeared.

On the plant were several small berries. Each was the same as the strange black berry.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter #2:**

The sound of a familiar male voice slowly filtered into the girl's consciousness and  
began to draw her back from the void as something gently shook her on the shoulder. 

"Hey, wake up!" the voice said softly.

The girl groaned softly to herself and was rewarded by another gentle nudge.

"C'mon, Bianca! You've got to wake up!" the voice said again.

As she slowly opened her eyes, everything appeared as a blur. Once her eyes  
had adjusted, the girl noticed that a familiar looking Eevee was standing over her. 

"You're finally up! Yay!" the little pokemon cheered.

"Where are we?" Bianca asked as she slowly sat up and grabbed his head.

"In a cave of some sort. I'm not really sure where though." the little Eevee replied.

"Ash, are you ok?" Bianca asked.

The little pokemon nodded.

"Where's Ariel?" she continued.

The little Eevee sadly shook its head.

"I'm sure you're friend is alright." an unfamiliar voice spoke up.

"Who's there?" Bianca called out nervously.

A Scizor stepped out of the shadows followed by a Scyther and a Charmeleon.

"My name is Vincent." the Scizor replied.

Bianca stared at the Scizor in confusion.

"Little girl, are you surprised that you can understand me?" Vincent asked.

Bianca nodded.

"It is just as well." Vincent remarked amused.

"What are you planning to do with us?" Bianca asked.

"Don't worry, you will not be harmed." Vincent replied. "Think of this as a form of protective custody."

"I'm not sure I follow." Bianca said.

"With all the recent natural disasters, you can't leave this cave at the present time." Scyther spoke up in a deep feminine voice.

"This world has recently begun to undergo changes." Vincent said.

"There are also others like you roaming around this world." he added.

"Others like me?" Bianca asked

"However, unlike the others you still hold your original form." Vincent stated.

Bianca stared at him in confusion.

"He means that you're the only human around that looks human, sweet heart!" Charmeleon said with a smirk.

Bianca arched an eye brow in reply while Scyther groaned in disgust.

"Reno, that's enough!" Vincent growled.

Charmeleon held up both hands in surrender, looking confused.

"So, where exactly are we?" Ash asked.

"You're in a place known as Thunderwave Cave." Vincent replied.

"Of course, when it comes to your missing friend, I'm sure it'll turn up soon."

"The only question is _with whom_?" Vincent added after a pause.

"So, this is the place you were talking about." Evan commented as he gazed at the dilapidated hut in front of him.

The structure looked like it was about to crumble at anytime. Holes were in the roof, with boards of wood carelessly nailed on, and the two large, circular windows were shattered. The wooden, sun bleached door was hanging on its hinges. The grass around the hut wasn't any better either. It was all brown and dead. Even the mailbox and flag pole were rusted; and the flag itself was tattered and faded.

"This is it!" Yuri replied as her eyes twinkled.

"It's our home sweet home." she continued cheerfully.

"Home sweet home, huh." Evan said.

"_Is she NUTS_!" Evan thought to himself.

The sound of flapping grabbed the trio's attention. Glancing up, the trio spotted a Pelliper flying toward them.

"It's Pelliper!" Yuri cried out in delight. "Maybe he has some mail for us!"

The pelican shaped pokemon landed on the rusty mailbox and dropped some mail into it before

flying off. Yuri quickly ran over to the mailbox and opened it up. A brown package fell out.

"What is it Yuri?" Evan asked.

"OH MY GOSH! It's our rescue team starter set!" Yuri squealed.

Evan stared at her in confusion while Rukia looked on with a smile.

"Look! Three rescue team badges, three rescue team scarves, and a rescue team kit!" Yuri continued as her eyes began to sparkle.

"Kit?"

"It'll hold stuff we find in dungeons!" Rukia explained.

"Oh, you mean like the berries we were given?" Evan asked.

The girls nodded in unison.

Evan quickly placed all the berries into the box and Yuri closed the lid.

"Anyway, it's getting kinda late so I'm going to go to bed." Yuri said

as she turned and carried the box into the hut.

"Works for me." Evan said as he and Rukia followed her.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what's around tomorrow." he added.

Later that night, Evan had another strange dream. In the dream, Evan felt as though he were once again trapped in an endless void. Unlike before, the sensation reminded him of the stadium from the previous dream. As his gaze swept the area however, all he saw was the color white.

Evan also became aware that he was once again in human form. At that moment, Evan felt as though someone was standing behind him.  
The presence didn't come as a surprise to him and felt somehow familiar. Turning, Evan saw a distinguished looking, Psychic Type pokemon standing behind him. 

"Who are you?" Evan asked.

"My name is Gardevoir." the pokemon replied.

"Are you the one who brought me here?"

"I am indeed." Gardevoir replied. "How do you feel?"

"I feel ok. Although I'm a little confused as to why I resemble a Charmander everywhere else but am back to normal here." Evan answered. 

"Don't worry, Mr. Lockhart. The physical transformation you refer to is nothing more then a reflection of your true self." Gardevoir said.

"In a way, you are the one that chose what you have become." she continued.

Evan stared at her in confusion.

"Do you remember the questions I asked during your interview?" Gardevoir asked.

Evan nodded slowly as he recalled the event in his mind.

"So, what you're saying is that I'd actually be a Charmander if I had been born a pokemon." he said after a pause.

Gardevoir nodded.

"Then shouldn't I have forgotten everything I know about my life as a human?" Evan asked.

"No." Gardevoir replied. "Your past experiences make up who you are."

Evan nodded slowly.

"Why am I here?" he asked.

"Your world is one of many realms." Gardevoir replied.

"In my own world, humans and pokemon coexist relatively peacefully while your homeworld

and the world you now reside are counterparts on the opposite end of the spectrum."

"Of course you're probably wondering why you are here." Gardevoir commented after a pause.

Evan nodded.

"You were brought here for a purpose." Gardevoir said.

"In order to fully realize that purpose, you must understand that due to a series of unethical experiments conducted on my world a dark entity has been released." she continued. 

"If this dark entity is allowed to manifest itself, than all life is doomed." Gardevoir added quickly.

"So, in order to save the world this threat has to be eliminated?"

Gardevoir nodded.

"Why me?"

"Humans, such as yourself, have instincts that are not common to most pokemon." Gardevoir replied.

"From my own observations, there are some humans that strive to bring a sense of harmony to the world,  
while others try to take advantage and destroy it. It is this drive that seperates humans and pokemon. 

"Then perhaps you can tell me what this is." Evan said as he held up the cylinder-shaped device.

"The object you're holding is called a Pulse Blade." Gardevoir replied.

"It should prove useful on your quest." she continued.

Nodding to himself, Evan quickly reattached the Pulse Blade to his utility belt.

"In the meantime, I suggest that you get some rest." Gardevoir spoke up after a lengthy pause.

"The answer too many of your questions will come in time."

At that moment, the vision began to fade into darkness. As the dream faded, Evan opened his eyes and realized that he was lying inside the old hut once more. Sitting up, Evan noticed that he once again resembled a Charmander.He also discovered that the sun had risen a short time ago. Gazing around, Evan quickly spotted Yuri sleeping peacefully under a window on the opposite side of the room. He took this time to really get a good look at his new friend. 

Yuri was a four-legged creature with a light green body. Around her neck was what appeared to be little green seeds. There was also a large green leaf on her head. As he recalled, she had hazel colored doe-eyes. As his gaze swept the room, Evan noticed that Rukia was missing. Getting to his feet, Evan stumbled over to the door while looking for her. As he stepped outside, a familiar female voice called out to him.

"Hey, up here!"

Glancing up, Evan spotted Rukia sitting on the hut's roof staring down and smiling at him.

He vaguely wondered how the cat-like pokemon had gotten on top of the roof in the first place.

"There's a ladder around back. Come on up and join me." she replied in response to his unanswered question.

Evan made his way around the hut and quickly scaled the ladder to join Rukia on the roof.

"I always enjoy watching the sun rise." Rukia remarked as Evan sat down beside her.

"It must be somewhat of a shock to wake up in a strange place." she continued after a pause.

"Yeah, waking up to being a fire lizard is something to get used to." Evan replied.

"What makes you say that though?" he asked curiously.

"Although it's been almost a week, I had a similar experience when I first arrived." Rukia answered.

Evan gave her a curious glance.

"Of course it had nothing to do with being human." she added quickly.

"Oh..."

"What I mean is, your much stronger than any other Charmander I've ever met, so that only proves your claim of once being human has to be true." 

"Why do you say that?" Evan asked.

"The way you handled yourself yesterday was very impressive but not usually the way most pokemon would have handled the situation." Rukia responded. 

"Particularly the tactics you used against the Mankey." she added quickly.

"Hey, you were using Kenpo during that fight." Evan protested with a grin.

"Yeah, well my trainer was weird like that."

"So, what happened?" Evan asked after a pause.

Rukia closed her eyes and sighed softly for a moment before speaking.

"In my world, humans and pokemon lived side by side. Of course, my trainer and I weren't very close." 

"He worked for an organization that terrorized others and I've subsequently done things I'm not particularly proud of." she continued.

"So, basically you view this rescue team thing as a way to make up for things that happened in the past." Evan said. 

Rukia opened her eyes and nodded.

"That's sounds pretty cool but why tell me all this?" Evan asked.

"In my experience, there are humans that seem to be kind and nothing like my former trainer; and it's that group that I could see you fitting into." Rukia replied. 

Evan nodded thoughtfully as a silence fell between them.

"So, how did you end up here?" he asked.

"Well, my trainer and I went to one the organization's labs for something not long ago. There was an explosion,  
and the next thing I remember is being awakened in much the same way we found you." Rukia replied.

"That's certainly one wake up call to remember." Evan commented amused.

Rukia chuckled.

"So tell me more about yourself." she said.

Evan subsequently began to talk about his experiences and briefly described his world to her.

He was pleasantly surprised that Rukia was a great listener. As he finished, Evan glanced up and estimated the time was somewhere around mid morning. 

"Alright, what are you thinking right now?" Rukia spoke up while carefully scrutenizing him.

Evan looked at her confused.

"I've learned how to read others." Rukia explained. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Well, I've recently been having some strange dreams." Evan replied.

"What kind of dreams?" Rukia asked.

Evan quickly discribed the dreams he'd had and Rukia listened intently as he spoke.

"Maybe the dreams have something to do with why your here."

"Perhapse it does." Evan agreed with a shrug.

"Out of curiosity, what do you think of Yuri?" he asked after a pause.

"Although I've only known her a few days I just love her to death." Rukia replied with a snicker.

"Yeah, she certainly is spirited if not a bit hyper."

"She maybe somewhat impulsive and a little naive but she's very dependable and has a huge heart." Rukia said while continuing to laugh. 

"Can't argue with that."

A suprised squeal from inside the hut caught the pair's attention.

"She's awake!" Rukia quipped grinning.

Rukia's hunch was proven a moment later as a green blur shot out of the doorway and rushed over to the mailbox. The panicked pokemon then glanced both ways down the nearby trail before sitting down and releasing a depressed sigh.

"Looking for someone?" Rukia called out.

Yuri jumped to her feet and turned around in surprise.

"Don't scare me like that! I thought you'd without me." she snapped.

"We wouldn't do that to you." Evan spoke up amused.

"Then get down here so we can go." Yuri responded.

"We're on our way." Evan said with a smirk and a two fingered salute.

The pair then made their way down off the roof.

After crossing over a small wooden bridge, Evan was awestruck by all the sights he was witnessing. The place was huge! It had four trails, each going in a different direction. Additionally, all around him were the sights and sounds of a thriving community.

"_It's like a small city._" Evan thought to himself.

"Welcome to Seido." Rukia spoke up.

"To you left is the Kecleon Shop." she continued while pointing to a small shack near the bridge.

"And across from that is Kangaskan Storage." Yuri chimed in.

Evan nodded as the trio came to a hault in a square at the center of the town.

"Where does that go?" Evan asked pointing to the trail leading north.

"That goes to Whiscash Pond. He's a real old Pokemon and loves to tell us stories." Yuri explained.

"I see."

"Over there is Felicity Bank." Yuri continued pointing to a nearby building where a Persian sat behind a counter. 

"And across from that is the Gulpin Link Shop. Gulpin can link moves for you." she continued.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but what is linking exactly?" Evan asked.

"That's a bit complicated to explain so you should just ask Gulpin for details." Rukia replied.

Evan nodded.

"Where does that go?" he asked pointing to the trail leading south.

"That way leads to the Fighting Dojo." Rukia answered. "The hospital is also in that direction."

Evan nodded.

"I suppose that path leads to the post office." he commented pointing to the trail leading east.

The girls nodded.

"Let's go." Yuri spoke up.

The trio quickly made their way down the trail and came to a stop in front of a large bulletin board.

"This Bulletin Board is where information is gathered from Pokemon needing rescue in various locations." Rukia explained. 

Evan nodded.

"Excuse me..." a voice hesitently called out in a high-pitched, girlish swoon.

Turning around, the trio saw a young Eevee standing shyly behind them.

"Can you help me?"

"What's wrong?" Evan asked.

"My companions are missing and I don't know where they are." the young Eevee mumbled, breaking down.

Evan, Rukia, and Yuri exchanged glances.

"Don't worry, we'll find your friends." Yuri said soothingly.

"But I don't have anything to pay you with." the young Eevee sniffled.

"That's quite alright. Just seeing you happy will be reward enough." Evan said.

"Really?" the teary-eyed Eevee asked.

Rukia and Yuri smiled and nodded.

"You can come with us if you want." Evan invited.

"Uh, ok."

"What's your name little one?" Rukia asked.

"My name is Ariel." the young Eevee sniffled.

"Ariel, whould it bother you if we took on other rescue jobs while we search for your friends?" Evan asked.

Ariel shook her head. Nodding, Evan walked over to the Bulletin Board and gazed at it for a moment. He then selected two notices and briefly scanned through them before returning to the others.

"Ok, here are a couple of extra jobs we can do." Evan said.

"The first, is a request for a Pecha Berry from a Vibrava."

"That doesn't sound to hard. We already have one of those." Yuri said.

"The second, involves escorting a Poochyena to it's friend Cyndaquil." Evan continued.

"That's certainly a job we can handle." Rukia spoke up.

"Both jobs are set in Thunderwave Cave, so I figured that would be a good place to start." Evan commented glancing at Ariel.

Ariel became starry-eyed and nodded.

"Well, Team Go-Getters! Let's go get 'em!" Yuri squealed.

"After you." Evan replied with a grin as he waved a hand forward.

With Yuri leading the way, the group set out for Thunderwave Cave.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter #3:**

Having completed the other tasks, the group their trek through Thunderwave Cave As they traveled on, Evan guessed that they were somewhere on the dungeon's fifth floor. Rounding another corner, Ariel suddenly squealed in delight as she spotted a pair of figures at the other end of the cavernous chamber. The pair turned in response and uttered cheerful squeals as Ariel rushed over to them.

As the reunion continued Evan was able to get a good look at the pair. One was another Eevee while the other was a teenaged girl. The girl was roughly about his size and appeared to be three years younger. She had shoulder length strawberry blond hair and brown eyes. She wore a light blue shirt, a pair of jeans, and a pair of white sneakers.

"I think we've made someone very happy." Rukia commented as she cast a glance at Evan.

Evan meanwhile, continued to stare at the girl. Smirking, Rukia walked over and waved a paw in front of his face. With a start, Evan turned to her. 

"Did you say something?"

"Are you awake? Cause your spacing out on us." Rukia replied.

"Sorry."

Everyone quickly exchanged introductions.

"I take it your not from around here." Evan commented.

Bianca nodded.

"It seems we have a lot in common." he continued.

Bianca gave him a quizzical look.

"Ix-nay on the simi-stay..." Rukia spoke up.

Evan shot her a curious glance.

"We don't want to scare her off." she replied grinning.

Evan turned away with an amused chuckle. As the girls continued to chat, Evan suddenly felt certain that something was wrong. Gazing around the room, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. 

"Excuse me but is anyone else with you?" he asked.

Bianca shook her head.

"There were some other pokemon here earlier but they've been gone for a while." she answered.

"What is it?" Yuri asked.

"We're not alone." Evan replied.

As if on cue, the sound of chuckles could be heard coming from the darkest part of the room Evan cast a glance at the girls and caught Bianca's haunted gaze. Yuri and Rukia meanwhile exchanged worried looks as five pokemon stepped out of the shadows.This group of pokemon consisted of a Scizor, Scyther, Quilava, Charmeleon, and a Golem.

Excluding the Scyther, all of them were armed with a variety of weapons. These weapons included a staff, pulse blades, tonfa, chain whip, and wrist blades. As the group converged, they began swinging their limbs and weapons to limber up. The Scizor however, was the only exception to this.

"_Weapon wielding pokemon? What planet am I on?_" Evan thought to himself.

"Who are you?" he said aloud.

"The name is Vincent." the Scizor replied.

"Are you a rescue team?" Ariel asked.

"Indeed." Vincent replied. "The team name is Reaper."

"Of course things are not always what they seem. Wouldn't you agree Rukia?" he continued.

Rukia stared at the Scizor in confusion.

"You know each other?" Yuri asked.

"Not that I recall. It's possible I suppose." Rukia replied hesitantly.

"What do you want?" Evan asked.

"I could ask you the same question." Vincent retorted.

"We only came to reunite this young Eevee with her friends." Evan answered.

"And so you have." Vincent remarked.

One of the other pokemon tossed a staff to Rukia. Rukia easily caught it and began to prepare for a fight as Quilava began to swing the chain. 

"Did someone order a club sandwich?" Charmeleon quipped while twirling a pair of Tonfa.

"Oh, that's cute." Rukia snapped.

"If you wish to leave this cave with the girl however, come and claim her." Vincent taunted.

"This isn't good." Bianca commented worriedly.

"Yuri!" Evan called out as he brandished his pulse blade.

"Right." Yuri replied.

She quickly took up a defensive position in front of Bianca and the meanwhile, took up a defensive position slightly to Evan's left and between him and Yuri. 

"It's time to teach our young brother a thing or two." Golem spoke up while waving a pair of wrist blades.

Quilava suddenly hurled the chain. Evan activated his pulse blade and blocked the chain in a single fluid motion as most of the remaining Reapers rushed him. Vincent however, merely stood and watched as the melee unfolded.

As they fought, Evan couldn't help but feel a sense of grudging admiration for the Reaper's fighting abilities. Glancing backward, he noticed that Rukia was holding her own among the whirling mob. Yuri however, was having some difficulties as she unleashed a _Razor Leaf_ barrage but failed to hit anything.

Refocusing on the task at hand, Evan blocked a torrent of blows as Quilava rushed him while wielding another pulse blade. Dodging another slash, Evan caught Quilava with a surprise kick to the chest. He followed up by elbowing Quilava and causing it to stumble backward as ananguished female cry caught his attention.

Turning, Evan spotted Yuri on the receiving end of a devastating _Fury Cutter_ barrage. Rukia quickly rushed over to assist as Charmeleon charged at him. Evan easily blocked Charmeleon's assault and caught one of his Tonfa. 

"Nice bat... use it much?" he sneered before bashing Charmeleon with it.

With a growl, Golem lunged at him as Charmeleon hit the ground. Evan blocked most of Golem's assault then side stepped, throwing it off. He followed up by kicking Golem in the back, hurling it to the ground. Evan warily watched the group as he stepped away. 

"Hey, hold up!" Quilava called out.

"Let's let Vincent have a crack at 'em."

As the remaining Reaper's stepped aside, Evan briefly exchanged glances with the girls. The reactions he received were a mixture of confusion and dread. Turning, Evan suddenly felt a sense of unease as the Scizor slowly drew and activated a pulse blade of its own. 

"Yes. Let's see how good you really are." Vincent said.

Evan swore softly as Vincent suddenly lunged at him with tremendous speed. As the pair twisted and whirled around, Evan was barely able to fend off Vincent's powerful hammer blows. Stepping away from one another, Vincent snorted in amusement. 

"Impressive." he remarked. "For a human, you have potential when it comes to the blade."

"But you lack sufficient skill to fully utilize it." he continued.

"How do you know what I am?" Evan replied.

"Does it really matter?" Vincent retorted as he rushed forward again.

As the pair continued to exchange blows, Evan found himself being driven toward a nearby wall. Dodging another slash, Evan made a dash for it with Vincent in hot pursuit. Just as Vincent reached him, Evan used the wall as a spring board to deliver a quick swipe as he leaped away. 

Vincent easily blocked the blow and chuckled as Evan continued to slowly back away. A sudden shrill squeal caused everyone to freeze. Glancing back, Evan caught Bianca's confused look. He then noticed Ariel trembling uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" Bianca asked.

"It's those things again!" Ariel replied as she hid behind her brother.

"Defensive formation!" Vincent shouted.

The remaining Reaper's quickly created a defensive ring around Bianca and the Eevee's. Yuri and Rukia meanwhile, exchanged surprised looks as they found themselves standing among the Reaper's. Gazing around the room, Evan suddenly spotted the threat. To his right, stood a creature that resembled a Pikachu. This creature however, was charcoal colored with long fangs, wolf-like claws, and piercing red eyes. Beside it were several other pokemon of various types as others massed elsewhere. All these pokemon bore the same peculiar physical features as the Pikachu. 

"What are those things?" Yuri asked.

"There must be dozens of them." Rukia added worriedly.

"They're called Wraith." Vincent replied.

"They're beyond feral and should all be destroyed." he added quickly.

"Great! This just keeps getting better and better!" Evan quipped as he and Vincent stood back to back.

With another shrill howl, the Wraith lunged at the group in mass. As the melee unfolded anew, Evan was surprised by the Wraith's tenacity. The creatures swarmed the group repeatedly like ants whose nest had been disturbed. A single blow however, was enough to dispatch them. The creatures strange screams vaguely reminded Evan of pigs as well.

Although the entire fight had lasted mere minutes, it felt to Evan as though it had been longer. As the last of the Wraith disintegrated into a cloud of black dust, Evan was scarcely able to comprehend what had just happened. Gazing around, he noticed that the girls were experiencing the same thing. Excluding the Eevee's, Bianca seemed to be the most freaked out of all of them.

Turning, Evan spotted Vincent and the Reaper's assembling at the other end of the room. Vincent met his gaze as he wary eyed the group. 

"So, what happens now?"

"I believe there's been enough fighting for one day." Vincent replied.

"You can look after the girl, can't you?" he continued.

Evan noted that the remark was made as a statement rather than a question.

"Uh, yeah sure." he answered.

With a nod, Vincent turned away.

"In that case, we'll see you around" he called out as the group walked away.

"They're certainly a weird bunch." Yuri commented.

Evan murmured in agreement as he deactivated his weapon.

"Is everyone ok?" he asked after a pause.

Bianca and the pokemon nodded.

"Then let's get out of here."

As the exhausted group approached the old hut, they came to a stop to allow Bianca and the Eevee's a chance to survey the structure. 

"Here we are." Yuri said.

"This is certainly an interesting set-up you've got going here." Bianca commented.

"It may not look like much but I suppose it's better than nothing." Evan spoke up.

Bianca glanced at him curiously.

"We really need a new real estate agent or at least a decent carpenter." he continued casually.

Everyone turned and stared at him. Evan glanced around confused as Bianca placed a hand on her hip.

"What?"

Rukia snorted amused before turning and walking away. Yuri shook her head and sighed before following with the Eevee's in tow. Bianca meanwhile, continued to stare at Evan incredulously. 

Later that evening, Evan and Bianca exchanged information about their experiences and briefly described their home worlds. The others had long sense retired for the night. As they talked, Evan was pleasantly surprised that Bianca was a great listener and learned that she was also a pokemon coordinator and had some training in basic first aid.

"So, how long have you been here?" Bianca asked.

"Counting today, about two days." Evan replied. "You?"

"There is no telling how long I was in that cave."

Silence fell between them briefly.

"How long have you practiced martial arts?" Bianca asked.

"Three years." Evan answered.

Bianca nodded.

"Although I don't know any of you very well, there are a few things I'm certain of." she said after a pause.

"Like what?"

"Well, I think the little Chikorita has a crush on you." Bianca replied grinning.

Evan shot her a curious glance.

"Your kidding right? I mean we hardly know each other." he stammered.

"Some things are just meant to be." Bianca replied.

"What makes you say that?"

"Just call it woman's intuition."

"Woman's intuition, huh?" Evan remarked amused.

Bianca smirked and nodded before suddenly yawning.

"Well, I think its time I got some rest."

"Good night."

Evan briefly continued to gaze at the stars before following Bianca inside.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter #4:**

As he awoke the next morning, Evan noticed that Yuri and Rukia were already awake. Gazing around, he quickly spotted Bianca and the Eevee's sleeping peacefully. Stumbling out the door, Evan was somewhat startled by Yuri's enthusiastic geeting. Glancing up, Evan spotted Rukia sitting in her usual place on top of the roof. She greeted him with a smile and a wave. Evan quickly returned the wave as Yuri walked over.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked cheerfully.

"I did." Evan replied. "Your up rather early."

"I couldn't sleep." Yuri replied.

"Besides, it probably had something to do with our success during our first missions yesterday."

Whatever reply he was going to make was cut short as another voice spoke from behind them.

"Is this the place? Where that team named Go-Getters is based?"

Turning, they saw a group of pokemon standing a short distance from the front yard. This group was made up of an Ekans, a Gengar, and Medicham.

"There's nothing here." Ekans spoke up.

"Depressing, isn't it." Medicham commented.

"Keh! Who'd run a rescue team from a dump like this? Unbelieveable." Gengar added.

As the trio came closer, Yuri blinked in confusion. Evan meanwhile, cast a glance up at Rukia and was rewarded with a shrug.

"Why I didn't know you cared." Evan retorted.

"Who are you people?" Yuri asked.

"Oh! Over there. A Mailbox." Medicham remarked ignoring the question.

The three instantly gathered around it.

"Kekeh, yeah! Check it out!" Gengar said.

"Now wait a second! What do you think you're doing?!" Yuri snapped as she began to rapidly pace around.

"Yessss! Rescue job offers!" Ekans hissed.

"Oo-la-la! Isn't that rather tasty?" Medicham exclamed.

"We'll have them all." Gengar cut in.

"Wait a second, those belong to us!" Yuri yelled furiously.

"Keh! It doesn't matter who does it!"

"We're a rescue team too, I'll have you know." Medicham spoke up.

"...But all we ever get up to is no good." Ekans proudly added.

"Wanna know how it works?" he continued.

"I am curious about how that would work." Rukia purred sarcasticly.

"If we have the cover of a rescue team, we can get away with so much more!" he continued ignoring the comment.

"After all, we have our eyes on world domination!"

Evan and Rukia exchanged glances while Yuri looked alarmed by this declearation.

"Wha... World domination?!" Yuri gasped.

"Kekeh! You heard right! That's why we're raking in the cash and adding to our gang! The world will be ours!" Gengar exclamed.

"Oh, really. What's your motivation?" Evan quipped.

"The rescue team of evil! Team Meanies is who we are! See you around! Kekeh!" he continued ignoring the comment.

With that all three troublemakes instantly raced off. Yuri meanwhile, was looking even more angery then before.

"Now wait a second!" she called out to their retreating forms.

After the trio had disappeared from view, Yuri released her emotions in a furious squeal.

"Oh, what a horrible bunch."

"Don't let 'em get to you, Yuri." Evan said comfortingly.

"After all, I'm pertty sure they couldn't dominate a wet paper bag." he added quickly.

Yuri gave him a quizzical look.

"What was that about?" Bianca asked as she stepped out the door while combing her hair.

Where she'd found the brush, Evan didn't know but he didn't worry about it either.

"It seems some of the locals decided to pay us a visit." he replied. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Wait, what about my Eevee's?" Bianca replied.

"Don't worry, I'll look after them." Rukia called out.

With a nod, Bianca followed after Evan and Yuri as they headed toward town.

A short time later, the trio was standing in front of the Kecleon Shop. As Bianca shopped around, Evan spotted what he thought were pokeballs and potions scattered among the assorted merchandise. He vaguely wondered if these were some of the items Yuri was talking about before. After purchasing a variety of supplies, Evan and Yuri showed Bianca around town before they all returned to base.

As they approached, Evan spotted the Eevee's playing in the yard. Rukia meanwhile, was perched in her usual spot on top of the roof. She waved as they drew near. Looking up, the Eevee's smiled and run over to them. A cry from behind suddenly caught everyone's attention. Turning, Evan spotted Caterpie rushing toward them with a Pichu in tow.

"Caterpie, how are you?" Yuri called out.

"I'm fine but can you help my friend?"

"What seems to be the problem?" Bianca asked.

"Well, my friend Torchic and I were playing near Silent Chasm when we were attacked by a Machoke." Pichu replied.

"You were attacked? How awful!" Yuri remarked in shock.

As the Pichu explained the situation, Evan couldn't help but be reminded of a feisty little fox demon he'd seen on a TV show. Struggling to stifle a laugh, he turned away and spotted Rukia approaching them.

"… and then my brother went to save Torchic and he hasn't come back yet."

"So, you think that your brother ran into trouble." Rukia mussed.

The little Pichu nodded.

"Well, kid you've come to the right place." Evan said. "We'll help you out."

"Really?"

"Of course. That's what we do." Yuri proclaimed proudly.

"That's great! Thanks." Pichu cheered.

Caterpie quickly followed suit but stopped celebrating as he suddenly remembered something.

"Uh oh. I'd better get home before my mom starts to worry."

"Have a safe trip home, Caterpie." Yuri called out.

With a nod, Caterpie turned and wandered off leaving the Pichu with Evan's group.

"Well, looks like we're off to Silent Chasm." Rukia remarked after a pause.

An hour later, the group stood at the summit of Silent Chasm. During that time, the group learned that the Pichu's name was "Denzel". The Eevee's however, had taken to calling him "Squirt" behind his back which Evan found amusing. Standing at the summit, Evan looked around through the fog, eyeing everything from a nearby cave entrance to the steep cliffs warily.

"Wow! This cliff is steep!" Ash commented.

"So, the Machoke attacked you around here?" Bianca asked.

Denzel nodded.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Rukia spoke up.

As they started to enter the cave, Denzel suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Bianca asked

"There's something I forgot to mention... " Denzel replied.

"This canyon is known as the Silent Chasm, but... it's rumored that an amazing monster sleeps here." he continued.

At this news Yuri stumbled back in alarm. With a sqeak, Ariel leaped behind Bianca leg.

"M...Monster?!" Yuri gasped.

"Yeah, but it's only folklore! I just thought I should let you know..." Denzel hastily added.

There was a pause, broken by a pained yell from Yuri. She then bent forward, as is holding her stomach.

"Owowow! My stomach! It hurts..."

"What's with you?" Rukia asked confused.

"It's my stomach! It suddenly cramped up! Owowow... I think my breakfast was spoiled or something..." Yuri gasped.

"Hey, Evan, you're feeling sick too, aren't you?" she continued.

Evan shook his head.

"Rukia, your stomach hurts too, doesn't it? Bianca?" Yuri pleeded.

Rukia shook her head.

"Huh? I'm perfectly fine." Bianca replied.

Yuri stared at the others incredulously.

"Huh...? What's the matter, guys?! I need you to back me! If you're my partners, you need to read my cues better!" she shouted.

"Why Yuri, your not scared are you?" Evan asked as a smirk slowly crossed his face.

Yuri's eyes suddenly widened as she realised that she'd been, in a sense, nailed. She then turned quckly away to hide her embarassment.

"No. I'm not scared." she stated in a huff.

"Good." Evan responded gleefully.

"In that case, Team Go-Getters let's go get 'em!" he continued while doing his best imitation of Yuri when hyper.

Rukia burst out laughing at the retort before following him into the cave. Denzel and the Eevee's quickly followed them. Growling softly to herself, Yuri entered the cave a moment later. Bianca followed behind, after adjusting the supply box's strap, while keeping a close eye on her.


End file.
